Greyhound betting strategies: What you need to know to win

Last updated & tested: 2019-05-15

Greyhound racing remains very popular, especially in the UK, where a ‘night at the dogs’ remains a staple of many people’s social life. The main reason greyhound racing exists is due to betting, which means that betting on the sport is also a staple for many punters, both recreational and more serious. Greyhound betting strategies are therefore very common.

Here, we will take a closer look at the world of greyhound racing, and at some of the betting strategies that are often applied to the sport. Every punter wants to find the best greyhound system ever, but the truth is that there is no magic spell that brings success. Greyhound betting strategies, like all betting strategies, require patience, research and knowledge.

Placing a winning greyhound bet requires sound knowledge

There are currently 23 licensed greyhound racing tracks in the UK. The sport is regulated by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), and punters can bet on the races both at the track and away from it, with online betting having increased in popularity in recent years. Stadiums such as Owlerton Stadium, in Sheffield, and the tracks at Nottingham, Doncaster and Harlow are well-known venues.

There are several categories of greyhound race. The highest quality races are known as Greyhound Derbies, and have minimum prize money of £50,000. These competitions have six rounds, and usually attract 180 entries. The Scottish Greyhound Derby, staged at Shawfield Stadium, and the English Greyhound Derby, held at Towcester, are the two greyhound derbies which are staged in the mainland UK. The Northern Irish Derby was introduced in 2010.

There are also Category One, Two and Three Races, as well as Invitation Races and Minor Open Races. These categories reflect the age and quality of the dogs running.

Pick your races well for the best greyhound betting strategy

Before we cover some basic greyhound betting strategies, we need to look at how races are structured, as well as some of the types of betting which take place. First, it is worth knowing that every race that takes place in Britain has a standard colour scheme, based on the traps from which the dogs race. This colour scheme can make betting systems simpler to implement for punters. The trap is an important factor in greyhound racing, and works like a handicap system.

The colour scheme is as follows:

• Trap 1: Red with white numeral
• Trap 2: Blue with white numeral
• Trap 3: White with black numeral
• Trap 4: Black with white numeral
• Trap 5: Orange with black numeral
• Trap 6: Black and white stripes with red numeral
• Trap 7: Green with red numeral
• Trap 8: Yellow and black with white numeral

Once you are familiar with the format of greyhound racing, you can start to think about applying some betting strategies to the sport. As with horse racing, form is very important when it comes to selecting winning bets in greyhound racing. You always need to consider the recent form of a dog if you are serious about betting on it.

When you research the form of a dog there are a number of factors you need to take into account. As with horses, factors such as the dog’s trainer, its weight, recent results, career results, prize money won and its parentage (its sire and its dam) all play a part in determining a dog’s form. You must have a reasonable understanding of these concepts before you try to implement any greyhound betting strategies on dog racing.

Start your greyhound betting strategies with simple bets

For newcomers to the world of greyhound betting it is best to focus on simple bets to begin with. The basic type of greyhound bet is a ‘straight bet’. This type of bet is very easy to understand. You bet on a dog to win, to place, to show or to board. A bet on a dog to win is self explanatory, and you bet will come in if your chosen dog crosses the finishing line first.

Betting on a dog to place is similar to an each way bet in horse racing. The bet wins if the dog finishes in first or second place in the race. Betting to show is similar to this, in that a bet wins if the dog finishes in first, second or third place.

An across the board bet is where things get a little more complicated, in that it combines the previous three types of bet into one. If a dog wins, then the punter can collect on the win, place and show bets. If it comes second, then you collect on the place and show bets. If it finishes, third, then you only collect on the show bet. Across the board bets are therefore a good strategy to use for dogs that are strongly fancied to do well in tight races.

Exotic bets offer exciting options

In addition to these simple kinds of bet, there are also more complex betting options available. These types of bets are often referred to as ‘exotic bets’, and they require a little more concentration and thought on the part of the punter to be successful. You can formulate a relatively simple greyhound system around these types of bet.

The first type of bet is known as the Daily Double. This is a bet on two greyhounds to win in the first and second races of the day. A Quinella is where the punter wins if two chosen dogs take first and second place in the same race, regardless of the order. Perfecta and Exacta bets are where a wager wins if two chosen dogs finish first and second in the same race exactly in the chosen order.

The Trifecta is one of the more popular greyhound bets. It wins if the punters’ three chosen dogs come in first, second and third in the same race, in the punters’ chosen order. Superfecta bets are where the punter chooses four greyhounds in the same race to finish in a selected order.

Pick Three bets are where a punter chooses three dogs to win three consecutive, but different, races. A Pick Six bet is where a punter bets on six horse to win six consecutive races. These last two types offer plenty of scope for creative combinations of bet.

Best bookmakers for dog racing

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How to shape a winning strategy for greyhound betting

When coming up with your own greyhound betting strategies, it is best to keep things simple to begin with. Anyone looking for free greyhound racing systems that work needs to become very familiar with the types of bet which are available, as well as immersing themselves in the sport. Sadly, there is no magic bullet when it comes to betting of any kind. The best thing to do to get good betting tips is to follow the greyhound racing news and results as closely as possible — this will for sure help create a solid betting strategy.

When placing simple bets, studying the form of greyhounds is often enough to find winning selections. The kind of things which shape a greyhound’s form include several factors, but by far the most important is its recent record as regards winning and losing. You should also check out how many races it has run in recent weeks, as this can affect its stamina.

Take careful note of the type of races it has run too. If it has placed well in lower grade races, it may struggle if it is going up to a new level of race. The opposite is true too, a dog might well have been destroying the opposition in lower grade races, but may struggle if it begins to compete at a higher level.

An important part of shaping the best greyhound betting strategy for you is to have accounts with several different bookies too, as you can compare the odds on offer from each one. Having an account with a betting exchange such as Betfair can also be useful, as this allows you to place lay bets, where you bet against a dog winning.

Possible options for greyhound betting bookmakers

An important part of formulating a strategy to place a winning greyhound bet is to pick the right bookmaker. As stated above, it is often a good idea to have accounts with more than one bookmaker, in order to be able to compare odds. Here are three good options for the best online bookmakers for greyhound punters.

Bet Victor: Live streaming and an excellent welcome bonus

Bet Victor is a fully licensed British bookie which has a nice sports betting bonus on offer for new customers. Punters who bet £10 receive £50 of free bets, plus another £10 of credit to use in the site’s casino section. Punters can also watch live streams of afternoon greyhound racing at the company’s website. There is an extensive range of markets on offer for greyhound racing fans, with a vast array of UK and Irish meetings covered. This bookie also has a best odds guarantee offer in place for dog racing. Overall, this is an all round excellent choice for punters who enjoy a flutter on the dogs.

Betfred: Another good all-rounder

Another good option for placing the kind of bet greyhound racing offers fans is Betfred. This British bookie also offers live streaming of greyhound racing, along with a very worthwhile promotional bonus for new customers. You cannot claim this betting bonus without payment, and need to deposit funds in your account. If you bet £10, you get £30 in free bets. The site also offers punters the chance to try different bets, such as the Trap Challenge.

Knowledge is key to successful betting strategies

Any veteran punter who has used betting apps for many years will tell you that there is no perfectly profitable greyhound system in existence. The key to being a successful greyhound racing punter is to know as much as possible about the different types of bet which are available. Once you have mastered these, finding combinations and blends of bets is the key to turning a profit. You need to complement this betting knowledge by staying as up to date as possible with all greyhound racing news. The more you know, the more likely you are to win. Knowledge is key to finding the best greyhound betting strategy.